Edwina Hart named Wales’ farm minister after Davies sacking

Wales’ rural affairs portfolio is to be split following today’s sacking of farm minister Alun Davies.

Business minister Edwina Hart will be responsible for agriculture, fisheries and food while Mid and West Wales AM Rebecca Evans has been appointed as deputy minister for agriculture.

It marks a return to the system that operated before Alun Davies was promoted from deputy farming minister to minister for natural resources and food in 2013.

Mr Davies was fired earlier today (8 July) after requesting information on farm subsidies paid to opposition politicians.

Just a week ago Alun Davies was spared the sack after breaching ministerial guidelines concerning a £280m motorsport circuit earmarked for his constituency.

But First Minister Carwyn Jones has been less forgiving about his farm minister’s latest actions.

Read also: Welsh farm minister Alun Davies sacked over CAP emails

It emerged that Mr Davies had asked civil servants to provide information on farm subsidies paid to opposition AMs even though those details were not in the public domain. He persisted with his request when told by his staff that the information was not publicly available.

The First Minister described these actions as “poorly judged” and “inappropriate”. “The fact that they were made at all is unacceptable to me as first minister,” he said in a statement issued on Tuesday (8 July).

“The emails indicate that the minister asked the civil service to give him private information about the financial interests of a number of members of this chamber. These relate to CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) payments made to these individuals.

“As a result, I have asked the minister for natural resources and food to leave the government. I made this decision with some regret and would like to record my appreciation for the contribution that Alun Davies has undoubtedly made to the work of the government during his time in office.”

Farmers’ Union of Wales president Emyr Jones said he was disappointed that the portfolio had again been split but added: “We welcome the fact that farming gets a dedicated deputy minister for agriculture. We have worked with Rebecca Evans in her role on the Sustainability Committee, and she represents a predominantly rural area.

“As profitable farming and a sustainable environment are interlinked we also look forward to working with culture and sport minister John Griffiths, who has received the environment policy brief.

Mr Davies had been largely unpopular with farmers and the farming unions. Stephen James, NFU Cymru President, admitted that the union had a particularly difficult relationship with Mr Davies.

“His decision, last December, to transfer 15% from Pillar 1 to Rural Development Plan Wales measures was particularly galling. News of his sacking comes however at a crucial time with the vitally important decision on how this money is now to be deployed. Therefore, the timing of this announcement is particularly critical.

“We await news of who will replace Alun Davies. We will of course seek to meet the new minister as soon as possible with a view to developing a closer working relationship for the good of the industry.”